The Time I Met Steve Jobs

Over the last few hours, I’ve spent some time reflecting on the news that really shocked the world — Steve Jobs had passed away. Just six weeks before he passed, he officially resigned from Apple, the company he helped start and led for so many years. He really gave it his all, up until the very last bit he could.

As I was thinking about what Steve had done, there was one memory that had kept coming back to me. The time I got to meet, and shake Steve Jobs’s hand. It wasn’t until after that encounter that people started telling me that Steve doesn’t shake anyone’s hand. I felt honored. I felt lucky.

It was 2007, and Steve Jobs had just gotten off the stage at Macworld after he had announced the revolutionary iPhone. We were all blown away by this device. I was sitting towards the back of the room with my good friend Adam Jackson, when we both decided to head up front and see what all the hubbub was about. It turns out Steve was in front of the stage chatting with some folks.

Keep in mind, in 2007 I was only 14, so I was still quite small and could maneuver around a crowd much better then others. There was a large group of people, and I snuck under all of them. As I turned around, Steve Jobs was standing right in front of me being escorted out. I quickly said “thank you!” and put out my hand, and he said “you’re welcome,” smiled, shook my hand, and ran off.

That is a moment I will never forget, and I will cherish for the rest of my life. We will always remember you, Steve. Thank you for everything.